CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation A Free Weekly Electronic Newsletter Promoting Civic Existence, Expression & Engagement

19 January 2007  ISSUE No. 321 PUBLISHER CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kumi Naidoo MANAGING EDITOR Eric Muragana COPY EDITOR Julie Middleton EDITORIAL TEAM Cardinal Uwishaka Henri Valot  Vicente García-Delgado, Esq OCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTORS Alistair Campbell Christine Apikul Diana Arodi Elizabeth Robson Felisa Tibbitts Jennifer Kloes Lebohang Ncume Marcela Guerrero Casas Rene Logan ABOUT e-CIVICUS  The CIVICUS weekly electronic publication is keeping tens of thousands of people informed of the developments taking place in civil society, the factors that are affecting them and the impact they are having on creating an informed and knowledgeable civil society.  e-CIVICUS WELCOMES CONTRIBUTIONS OF CIVIL SOCIETY NEWS e-CIVICUS offers a useful channel through which you and your organisation can share your news, publicise your events and articulate the issues you face. Please send us your contributions no later than Tuesday for publication in the coming week to editor@civicus.org. All contributions must focus on civil society issues or have a civil society angle. To read the contribution guidelines, please visit www.civicus.org/new/content/ e-civicuseditorialguidelines-finalDraft.htm DISCLAIMER FOR e-CIVICUS Readers are welcome to reproduce, in part or in full, all sections of this newsletter, however please request permission to do so first. When reproducing or retransmitting content, please credit sources and authors. The content of this newsletter can be translated into another language and reproduced in other publications, as long as due acknowledgment is made to CIVICUS. Read more on Disclaimer for e-CIVICUS  CONTACT US P.O. Box 933 Southdale, 2135  South Africa  Tel: +27 11 833 5959 Fax:+27 11 833 7997 1112 16th Street NW, Suite 540  Washington D.C.  20036 USA Tel: +202 331-8518 Fax: +202 331-8774 Websites: www.civicus.org www.civilsocietywatch.org www.civicusassembly.org To subscribe or unsubscribe: email eric@civicus.org TELL A FRIEND Do you have a friend who works for a more just world? Would you like to share this newsletter with them? Please forward their e-mail address to news@civicus.org We value your comments, suggestions and contributions. Speak to us at editor@civicus.org Support CIVICUS You can make an on-line donation at www.civicus.org/new/donatev2.html Join CIVICUS Join or renew your CIVICUS Membership on-line now at www.civicus.org/new/joinv2.html Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin The CIVICUS e-newsletter Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin  is an action-oriented newsletter distributed to over 7,400 people around the world, featuring insightful interviews, updates on threats to civil society, and analyses of current situations. Read more at www.civilsocietywatch.org   7th CIVICUS World Assembly: Acting Together For a Just World Visit our website for updates on: Conference Registration, Conference Programme, Call for Workshop Proposals, Exhibitor Opportunities, News, and Discussion Board at www.civicusassembly.org CIVICUS blog What do you think? Have your say on the CIVICUS Blog! CIVICUS seeks to amplify the voices and opinions of ordinary people and give expression to the enormous creative energy within civil society. Our recently launched blog gives you the opportunity to use your voice and engage with the rest of civil society. Have your say by visiting http://civicus.civiblog.org

FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL   World Social Forum 2007: Another World is Possible for Africa By Kumi Naidoo, CIVICUS Secretary-General Dear e-CIVICUS Subscriber, In this week’s column, I would like to focus on the World Social Forum 2007 which is taking place at Kasarani (Moi International Sports Stadium) in Nairobi, Kenya on 20 - 25 January. Several of CIVICUS’ members and partners will take part in the some 1,290 workshops, roundtables and events registered. The Forum will open with a Peace March, from Kibera, possibly Africa’s largest slum, to the central Uhuru Park. CIVICUS is one of many civil society movements who applauded the decision to locate the latest Forum in Africa. It is our hope that this platform will provide an opportunity to address some of the key challenges facing the African continent. For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/content/deskofthesecretarygeneral52.htm CIVICUS Poll Questions Each week, a new question is posted on the CIVICUS website. Let us know what you think. If you have any questions you would like to ask, please email editor@civicus.org. This week’s question: While political parties are specifically excluded from World Social Forum (WSF) participation, invited political leaders have contributed to, and arguably on occasion dominated, sessions of the WSF. Do you think that the World Social Forum can serve as a platform for engagement with political parties? Answer the question at www.civicus.org/new/poll.asp?c=048451 Previous question: Do you think that inter-governmental organisations (ie, United Nations, African Union, Organisation of American States, etc.) have supported the emergence and strengthening of civil society activities? Results: Yes - 33%, No - 60 %, Don’t Know - 6% e-CIVICUS EDITORIAL MESSAGE Challenges and opportunities for 2007 By Eric Muragana, e-CIVICUS Managing Editor Dear e-CIVICUS Subscriber, During 2006, e-CIVICUS has worked to encourage and amplify the voices of those struggling for a more just world. We have produced 45 weekly editions of e-CIVICUS. The number of subscribers has grown from 50,000 subscribers in 2005 to 77,500 in 2006. Throughout this past year, e-CIVICUS has attracted growing attention as a major electronic newsletter dedicated to providing valuable information on a wide range of topics relevant to civil society. On behalf of the editorial team and the CIVICUS board and staff, I would like to thank all those individuals and organisations who have contributed to strengthening e-CIVICUS by submitting content and helping to increase its circulation. We look forward to working with you throughout 2007, to help e-CIVICUS deliver on its promise of a truly global and independent civil society e-newsletter. To read more, please see www.civicus.org/new/content/e-CIVICUS-editorial-message-2007.htm CIVIL SOCIETY NEWS Please send your comments and suggestions on these stories to editor@civicus.org. CIVICUS to speak about civil society rights, accountability at 2007 World Social Forum How can civil society organisations become more accountable and transparent? How can activists and organisations best protect their rights to exist? These are just some of the questions a delegation of CIVICUS staff and partners will be discussing during workshops at the World Social Forum in Nairobi . Over 80,000 activists are expected to come together to exclaim, for the 7th time, “Another World is Possible,” and more importantly, to discuss ways of making it happen. The WSF typically examines the most pressing issues currently facing civil society - accountability and the growing restrictions on activism are expected to top the agenda. For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/CIVICUS-Media-Release-WorldSocialForum-19January2007.doc. To view CIVICUS-World Social Forum flyer, please visit www.civicus.org/new/media/CIVICUS-WSF.flyer.pdf  The importance of giving the World Social Forum an African flavour While the WSF did come to Africa in 2006, this was in the context of a so-called "polycentric forum" which also saw gatherings take place on other continents. Last year's WSF was held in the Malian capital of Bamako, Venezuela's capital Caracas and the Pakistani financial hub of Karachi. Sometimes referred to as the "carnival of the oppressed", the WSF brings together those who oppose globalisation in its current form and international domination by capital, amongst others. Hassen Lorgat, campaigns and communications department manager for the South African NGO Coalition (SANGOCO), is one of those who applaud the decision to locate the latest forum in Africa. For more information, see http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=36156 Execution of Saddam Hussein’s aides is a further slide into errors of the past Amnesty International condemned the executions of Saddam Hussein's half-brother and the former head of Iraq's revolutionary court as a brutal violation of the right to life and a further lost opportunity for Iraqis to properly hold to account those responsible for the crimes committed under Saddam Hussein's rule. "Reports that Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti had his head severed during the hanging only emphasise the brutality of this already cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment," said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme. For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/Execution-Saddam-Hussein-aides.doc Slovak government meddling with public media Slovakia, a former socialist country of five million born from the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993, is ruled by a three-party coalition which includes the left-wing social democrat party Smer (Direction), the People's Party (LS-HZDS) and the extreme-right Slovak National Party. Last week HZDS deputy Chairman Milan Urbani admitted his party's desire to "have news programmes" and promised to make sure Slovak Television (STV) "will produce such news programmes that should be on a public television station." New managing director Radim Hreha, elected 12 December 2006 by the STV Council following a reportedly intensely lobbied election, is said to be dissatisfied by what he called the frequent bashing of politicians on state media. For more information, see www.ipsterraviva.net/Europe/article.aspx?id=4294  Labour unions urge Syrian government to open schools for domestic workers A scarcity of work for women in Syria has forced local labour unions to urge the government to open schools to train Syrian women to become domestic workers. The aim of the move is to address Syria’s soaring unemployment rate, and remove the stigma of working as a domestic employee. Syria’s Trade Unions estimated that as many as 60,000 foreigners, mainly from Indonesia, Philippines and Ethiopia, were now working in Syria. For more information, see www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56896&SelectRegion=Middle_East&SelectCountry=SYRIA Cameroon civil society to pool efforts for human rights The National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, NCHRF, civil society organisations working in the domain of human rights, the government of Cameroon and donor organisations have resolved to streamline the role each plays in the promotion and protection of human rights. This decision was highlighted in Yaounde by the Chair of the NCHRF, Dr. Divine Chemuta Banda, while addressing participants at a two-day pre-validation workshop of the national action plan for the promotion and protection of human rights in Cameroon. For more information, see http://allafrica.com/stories/200701161419.html Public and Commercial Services Union targets Gordon Brown over civil service cuts Gordon Brown is to face an unprecedented leftwing attack on his policies as well as the threat of damaging strike action in the run-up to the May elections, Guardian Unlimited has learned. Mark Serwotka, the general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, plans to place the chancellor at the centre of a high-profile campaign against the government's cuts and privatisation agenda in the civil service. "Our issue with Gordon Brown is that the policies he has pursued we think are disastrous and it is an appalling way to treat his own workforce," Mr Serwotka said. For more information, see http://society.guardian.co.uk/publicfinances/story/0,,1990825,00.html  Churches back global justice at World Social Forum Ceremonies in Nairobi's Holy Family Roman Catholic Basilica and All Saints Anglican Cathedral, together with a procession from one to the other church, are part of events being organised by the All Africa Conference of Churches/Caritas Ecumenical Platform to mark the opening of the 7th World Social Forum (WSF). The goal is to ensure a visible and meaningful ecumenical presence at and contribution to the Forum; the Platform is being supported by a global ecumenical coalition of organisations led by the World Council of Churches (WCC). For more information, see www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_070119wsf.shtml  Malawian civil society faults privatisation Civil society organisations (CSOs) in the country have said privatisation is not the best solution to Malawi’s economic problems. Instead, the CSOs suggest that proper board of directors and management is appointed based on merit not political affiliation to steer state-owned firms. The CSOs said this in a joint summary report entitled ‘Summary Report On The Views Of CSOs On Privatisation’ derived from a study meant to analyse the impact of privatisation on the country’s economy. The report, among other things, proposes an establishment of a parliamentary statutory committee which will be responsible for both appointment and running of the parastatals to ensure that there is proper management of the state companies. For more information, see www.nationmalawi.com/articles.asp?articleID=20210 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION AGAINST POVERTY PERSPECTIVES GCAP at World Social Forum Poverty is a violation of human rights on a massive scale; it is compounded by the trade injustice that keeps people poor. Acting on this opportunity, civil society networks launched the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) in January 2005 at the World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. As part of the WSF constituency, GCAP was present at the polycentric World Social Forum in Caracas, Bamako and Karachi in 2006. This year, GCAP is actively supporting the WSF 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya. The GCAP presence will nurture the relationship with other partners and social movements, present to the WSF the results of the 2005/2006 campaign, and strategise for the 2007 Mobilisation. For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/GCAP-WSF_150107.doc The Millennium Villages Project ending rural poverty in Africa Proponents of the Millennium Villages Project argue that the complex problems facing rural development in Africa require a ‘big push’ if substantive progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is to be made and propose the simultaneous introduction of improvements in agriculture, health, transport, energy, technology, telecommunications and internet connectivity, costing US$110 per person per year over five years, and funded mainly from aid flows. This paper examines the challenges this initiative faces, and the questions it raises, in its search for ‘quick wins’ to reach the MDGs. For more information, see www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0002277/index.php (Submitted by Lebohang Ncume) CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISM ON GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS This section provides updates and analyses of civil society’s growing role at the global level. Please send your comments and questions to editor@civicus.org. Civil society to participate in the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development Following the World Summits on Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005) literally hundreds of projects have been rolled out all over the world to harness information technology for development purposes. In order to coordinate those projects, identify good practice, transfer results, stimulate follow up and new initiatives, the UN General Secretary has set up the Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID). The inaugural GAID conference was held in June 2006 in Kuala Lumpur with over 500 participants from all over the world representing governments, business, international organisations (including the International Labour Organisation), civil society, academia, internet communities, as well as gender and youth groups. For more information, see www.union-network.org/UNIIBITSn.nsf/0/1A86B8B5A25BF096C125726600456924?OpenDocument Addressing the differential impacts of trade on women and men This conference report points to the lack of mechanisms that exist to hold the World Trade Organisation (WTO), governments and other international players to account for women's rights. As the WTO did not exist at the time of the Fourth World Conference on Women, the resultant Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) does not specifically address concerns around the WTO and its impact on women's lives. The report is divided into individual presentations, panel discussions and an overview of regional advocacy concerns. For more information, see http://topics.developmentgateway.org/gender/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1085026 World Bank civil society engagement: A review of years 2005 and 2006 The 106-page report is divided into five sections: policy dialogue and consultations; civic engagement and participation; operational collaboration and institutional partnerships; global, regional, and country-based engagement; and outreach to civil society constituencies. In each section the Review describes, with rich details, how the Bank has reached out and involved civil society in its policy formulation, research, training, funding, and implementation initiatives. There are also two annexes which describe civil society involvement in CAS consultations in 50 countries and PRS formulation in 41 countries. For more information, see http://topics.developmentgateway.org/mdg/rc/ItemDetail.do?itemId=1084987 or www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0002278/index.php CAPACITY BUILDING Capacity Development for Policy Advocacy: Current thinking and approaches among agencies supporting civil society organisations This new Working Paper (WP260) presents a summary of current thinking on issues of capacity building for Northern and Southern organisations involved in using research-based evidence in policy processes, and provides some examples of current practice among organisations involved in work similar to that of the Civil Society Partnership Programme (CSPP) which produces several policy types of publications. For more information, see www.odi.org.uk/CSPP/Publications/Index.html DONOR PROFILE Global Fund for Children (GFC) The Global Fund for Children (GFC) supports small, community-based programs that provide education and life skills training including, but not limited to, job skills, the arts, multicultural awareness, conflict resolution, human rights awareness, health education, and environmental education for vulnerable and underserved children. GFC funds organisations and projects that focus on four specific issues: schools and scholarships, hazardous child labour, commercial sexual exploitation of children, and the distinctive needs of vulnerable boys. The Global Fund for Children does not accept unsolicited proposals. For more information, see www.globalfundforchildren.org MEMBER PROFILE Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) In little over a decade, Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society based in Canada has built a positive and respectable reputation with clients, funders, and the community as a multi-faceted agency that develops innovative programmes and creates strong partnerships with other organisations. PICS now provides employment services, health education, counselling, youth, English language, immigration/settlement services, drug/alcohol counselling, volunteer, agricultural workers and senior's housing programmes. PICS continue to be a strong advocate for the multicultural and immigrant community, particularly the South Asian community. For more information, see www.pics.bc.ca RESOURCES Civil Society Index (CSI) short assessment tool in the Netherlands The informal civil society network, De Nieuwe Dialoog (The New Dialogue) implemented the CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI) - Short Assessment Tool in the Netherlands over the course of 2006. Guided by a Stakeholder Assessment Group and a research team at the University of Amsterdam, the project team organised the available secondary data into a concise country report. The CSI assessment found a rather active and well-organised civil society operating in an enabling environment. The study also identified a number of negative trends, particularly with regard to civil society’s role in maintaining social cohesion in the light of growing social tensions, as well as with regard to the state’s shift towards a less accommodating style of interaction with civil society organisations (CSOs). For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/CSI_Netherlands.htm Measuring the impact of price changes on poverty This paper develops a methodology to measure the impact of price changes on poverty measured by an entire class of additive separable poverty measures. This impact is captured by means of price elasticity of poverty. This paper also derives a new price index for the poor (PIP). The empirical results show that price changes in Brazil during the 1999-2006 periods have occurred in a way that favors the non-poor proportionally more than the poor. Nevertheless, during the last 2-3 years the price changes have favored the poor relative to the non-poor. For more information, see www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0002286/index.php Gender at Work web site strengthens women empowerment and gender equality Gender at Work, a network of professionals committed to gender equality through institutional change, has completely revamped its web site to better communicate the group’s unique approach to strengthening the voice of women around the world. In addition to information on Gender at Work, the site offers a resources page that contains a selection of the group’s most recent and frequently requested articles, all of which may be downloaded for free. Gender at Work will update this page on a regular basis by adding newly-written articles and showcasing previous ones. For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/Gender-Work-website.doc Amnesty International forced evictions report in Angola The Angolan government and the Catholic Church have been slated in a report by rights group Amnesty International for the eviction of thousands of people in the capital, Luanda. Amnesty International's report, 'Lives in ruins, forced evictions continue', covering the period from 2001 until May 2006, said the cycle of evictions in the oil- and diamond-rich country - "nearly always without notification to the families affected" had intensified since 2001. Tawanda Hondora, deputy director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme, said in the report, "Disturbingly, many forced evictions in the last two years have been carried out apparently at the request of the Catholic Church." For more information, see www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=57073  or www.civicus.org/new/media/AmnestyInternational-FINAL-REPORT.doc Gallup International “Voice of the People” worldwide survey The findings of a global survey carried out for the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting (January 24-28) to be held in Davos this year under the general theme ‘Shaping the Global Agenda - The Shifting Power Equation’ show a growing lack of confidence in leaders to improve people’s lives. As leaders from business, politics and civil society prepare for the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, and it is clear from the findings of the survey that four out of every ten (43%) of the 48,500 people who were interviewed in a ‘Gallup International Voice of the People© Survey’ in 53 countries across the world thinks that 2007 will be a better year than 2006. For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/Gallup-International-Survey-revised.pdf Gender in the Information Society: Emerging issues This publication features a collection of 13 papers developed for a Pre-World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) seminar, Gender Perspectives on the Information Society: South Asia Pre-WSIS Seminar, on 18-19 April 2005 in Bangalore, India. This selection of papers makes available a valuable body of information in areas that have rarely been central to the dialogue on information and communications technology for development (ICT4D).For more information, see www.apdip.net/news/genderis (Submitted by Christine Apikul and Gain mailing list, Gain@lists.apcwomen.org) CONFERENCES AND EVENTS International Aid and Trade 24-25 January 2007, Geneva Palexpo The International Aid and Trade will convene 24-25 January 2007 at Palexpo in Geneva. 130 exhibiting organisations, more than 50 experts speaking in informative workshops will gather to address the challenges faced by the humanitarian relief community and to encourage increased coordination and the cementing of partnerships between governments, UN agencies, aid agencies, development banks and business. For more information on the agenda, please see www.aidandtrade.org/agenda. To download registration form, please visit at www.aidandtrade.org  International Guest Programme at the International Center for Tolerance Education (ICTE) Application Deadline: 29 January 2007 This programme offers human rights leaders and social change activists a stay of three months in New York to work on specific projects, do research, engage in networking, and/or further develop their professional skills and capacity. Participants are selected on the basis of their previous work experience, commitment to the human rights/social change field, and proposed work goals for their stay at ICTE. Fluency in English is required. For more information, see www.seedsoftolerance.org/fgp.html International Conference on Roads and the Environment 5th-6th February, Geneva, Switzerland The event will bring together policy makers and practitioners to debate the influence of roads on the environment and discuss the social role and environmental consequences of transport. The themes of the conference include rebalancing, integration and interoperability of different modes of transport at regional and urban levels. Increased safety and reduced traffic congestion in urban areas using electronic, telemetric solutions and advanced satellite navigation systems. For more information, see www.irfnet.org (Submitted by Alistair Campbell) FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Ford Foundation International Fellows Programme Application Deadline: varies from one country to another The International Fellowships Programme (IFP) provides opportunities for advanced study to exceptional individuals who will use this education to become leaders in their respective fields, furthering development in their own countries and greater economic and social justice worldwide. To ensure that Fellows are drawn from more diverse backgrounds than ever before, IFP will actively recruit candidates from social groups and communities that lack systematic access to higher education. For more information, see www.fordfound.org/news/more/11272000ifp/index.cfm COURSES/WORKSHOPS  Human Rights Delegations for Young Leaders Application Deadline: 26 January 2007 Global Youth Connect, an international human rights organisation is pleased to announce that they are accepting applications from young leaders (ages 18-25) for its (northern hemisphere) Summer 2007international human rights delegations. The programme locations include Bosnia, Cambodia, Guatemala, Rwanda and Venezuela. Human rights delegations weaves together three core sets of activities such as site visits to local organisations, hands-on fieldwork projects, and a human rights training workshop with local youth activists. For more information, see www.globalyouthconnect.org/participate (Submitted by Jennifer Kloes) The Global Development Course 19 February - 3rd March 2007, London, UK This two-week course provides an introduction to the most important issues in the field of social and economic development, particularly as it affects the South. The course is taught in the evenings and week-ends in a way that is accessible to a person who has not studied these topics in detail before. For more information, see www.ethical-events.org/gdc/index.htm Human Rights Litigation: Online Course Application Deadline: extended to 1 February 2007 Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is offering an on-line course "Human Rights Litigation" from 14 February - 7 May 2007. This distance learning course provides participants with knowledge of the concept, types, venues and strategies of human rights litigation. It focuses on strategic litigation and legal aid both internationally and domestically, and explores a variety of strategies, issue or group oriented litigation, and community based services, legal clinics, NGO or law firm resourced actions and others. To learn more about the course and to download an application, please visit www.hrea.org/courses/13E.html (Submitted by Felisa Tibbitts) CALL FOR PAPERS/SUBMISSIONS/PROPOSALS/NOMINATIONS Call for proposals to host the 9th CIVICUS World Assembly Application Deadline Extended: 31 January 2007 CIVICUS is inviting bids from interested organisations to partner with CIVICUS in hosting the 9th World Assembly, a global meeting of civil society leaders and activists, concerned business leaders, government representatives, donors and media. The CIVICUS World Assembly was, until most recently, organised as a biennial event, in a different city on each occasion. In 2006, when the event moved to Glasgow city, it was changed to an annual event in a fixed location for three years as a pilot project. For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldAssemblyCall-HostEng.doc or www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldAssemblyCall-HostEng.pdf. The proposals are also available in French (www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldAssemblyCalltoHostFrench.doc or www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldAssemblyCalltoHostFrench.pdf) and Spanish (www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldAssemblyCalltoHostSpanish.doc or www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldAssemblyCalltoHostSpanish.pdf) Call for papers: Global theme issues on Poverty and Human Development Application Deadline: 1 April 2007 World Health Organisation (WHO) Bulletin joins 120 science journals around the world in inviting submissions on the topic of Poverty and Human Development, to be published in a Global Theme Issue in October 2007, organised by the Council of Science Editors. This international collaboration is designed to raise awareness of, and stimulate research on, poverty and human development. For more information on Global theme issue, please see www.councilscienceeditors.org/globalthemeissue.cfm APPOINTMENTS Programme Manager Application Deadline:25 January 2007 UNIFEM Location: Liberia For more information, see www.unifem.org/about/vacancy_detail.php?VacancyID=50 International Human Rights Education Project Manager  Application Deadline: 26 January 2007 Amnesty International (AI) Location: London, UK For more information, see http://web.amnesty.org/jobs/index/09012007-IMP0610 Country Director Application Deadline: 7 February 2007 ActionAid International Location: Venezuela, Americas Region For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/ActionAidInternational-CountryDirector-Venezuela-Jan2007.doc (Submitted by Diana Arodi) Deputy Director Application Deadline: 2 February 2007 Search for Common Ground's (SFCG) Location: Côte d’Ivoire For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/Search-Common-Ground-Dep_Dir_Job_Description.doc (Submitted by Rene Logan) TELL A FRIEND Do you have a friend who works for a more just world?  Would you like to share this newsletter with them? Please forward their e-mail address to news@civicus.org CONTACT e-CIVICUS We value your comments, suggestions and contributions. Please send these to Editorial Team at editor@civicus.org  e-CIVICUS is a free weekly online publication keeping tens of thousands of people, organisations and programmes informed of the many developments that are taking place in civil society organisations around the world, the many factors that are affecting the impact of civil society on creating a more just world. NOTE: For a free subscription to e-CIVICUS, please fill out the form at www.civicus.org/new/content/ecivicussubscription.htm. To unsubscribe your mailing address, please contact: eric@civicus.org